It is impossible to say enough wonderful things about Waltham Childcare Center. For the past 5…read moreyears, I have seen nothing but a staff of loving caregivers and brilliant teachers who are genuinely invested in every child's growth and happiness. The classroom space is organized, positive and always stimulates and enriches their learning; from the interactive reading of CAPS where students got to practice balancing hats on their heads, to the excitement of playing in the 'big gym' at the Boys and Girls club and of course, the creative art projects that involve him painting his hands to make imprints or making homemade slime or experimenting with the fizzy properties of baking soda! The staff is always engaging with students, checking-in, and making them feel heard and seen. Waltham Childcare Center is also dedicated to preparing their students for Kindergarten. My son, who will be 5-years-old this October, has made tremendous gains in his social-emotional learning, counting, letter identification and speech. As a teacher myself, their curriculum and learning instruction are outstanding and I have no doubts that my son will enter Kindergarten hitting every benchmark and then some. In fact, they are often able visit the library which has enabled my son to develop a love for books. Waltham Childcare Center is a rare gem and I am so grateful that they have been able to provide an amazing childcare experience for both my children. I highly recommend them to any parent-you will not be disappointed and neither will your child.

My son has attended this childcare center for over a year, and the entire team provides a…read moresupportive environment with age-appropriate learning, an emphasis on manners, and guidance on how to be a good friend. They follow a consistent schedule, which has made coming to school a joy for him and has given me peace of mind as a parent going to work knowing he is in a safe, caring place.

I wanted to share our wonderful experience with Kindernest Montessori!…read moreThis daycare, run by Firouzeh, is the only place where I truly felt at peace leaving my son while I go to work. Firouzeh is incredibly kind and professional, always welcoming the children with a warm smile every morning. The rest of the staff are also very caring and attentive, spending real quality time with the kids. They offer so many fun and educational activities, from yoga and music classes to water play in the yard. Unlike many other daycares, they allow parents to stay with their child during the first week, which makes the transition so much easier. My son got used to it by the second week and now goes happily every day! One of the best things about this daycare is their amazing chef -- they provide healthy breakfast, snacks, and lunch daily, so we never have to worry about packing food. Honestly, I can't recommend this place enough -- you just have to experience it yourself

We love Kindernest! The teachers are caring and detail-oriented, and my kiddo is learning so much…read more The food is so fresh and smells amazing, I wish parents got to eat it too.

I am the owner of Little Ducks Daycare in Belmont, I have heard nothing but great things about this…read moreschool. This program provides a free location for the rest of us in the area to get our CPR and first aide certifications. Without this we would all be scrambling for classes during work hours. I just wanted to say Thank you for providing the space for Mr. S to provide us with a required and much needed class. Also heard wonderful things about your programs.

Our daughter was a student at Adventures Preschool for 11 months, and it was a wonderful experience…read morefor both her and our family as a whole. Though this is a large daycare center, the care that the children receive is personalized, and caring. Our daughter was well known to teachers throughout the scho, and administrative staff. We never felt like a number here. We loved her classroom teachers, and it was clear to us that they loved our daughter too. She thrived during her time at Adventures, and I could see how she much she was learning, week by week. She was always happy to go to school! I never worried about my daughter while she was at Adventures. We received regular updates (and pictures) throughout the day, via an app, about what her class did that day, what she ate and drank, diaper changes, and naps. I knew that she was in the best hands! And for an anxious Mama, that is a big deal! We did not want to leave Adventures, but due to extenuating family circumstances we had to make a hard decision. The administrative team offered us a lot of support during this time, which we are very thankful for. Hopefully one day we will be back!

My two sons attended APTG over the course of 5 years. During our first month there, we were told…read moreby the current director (who has since been let go) that a child was accidentally left at the park across the street during outdoor play. Apparently, no one at the center realized this mistake until a random town resident returned the child to the school. The mind boggles... Obviously, this was a long time ago (and we ended up keeping our children there), but I think parents reading reviews would want to know this. The school is housed in a plain gray building which is sort of depressing the first time you see it. Inside, however, is a very warm and caring environment, thanks mainly to the teachers, who are for the most part very good and attentive. Some of the teachers were not-so-great and were clearly just passing through on the way to greener pastures. The teacher turnover rate has always been relatively high, including a near-total turnover in the space of a few months at one point. Luckily, most of the teachers we interacted with were awesome and devoted to the children. Dropoff in the morning is a completely chaotic affair. Parents are rushing in and out, kids are screaming/arguing/crying, teachers are catching up with each other about their weekends, etc. Totally hectic and very rough on kids who require a smoother transition. Now that my youngest is in a different daycare environment, I can see what total madness this was. The daycare has a weird layout, mainly due to its small size. In fact, to get to one particular classroom, you have to walk through another classroom. The center's "office" is situated in a cramped room that's sandwiched directly between two classrooms. This means that if you have anything to discuss with the director (even confidential matters), you'll be subjected to other teachers, parents, kids, etc. wandering through to get to the other room. The center director runs the center well, from an organizational standpoint. However, she lacks the warmth that you would expect from someone who works with young children all day. I often got the impression that she'd be much happier with the job if it weren't for all of those pesky children. The founder of APTG is not around very often, but sometimes stops in for big events. There's no kind way to say this: she has an extremely condescending manner. She's clearly very smart and has a lot of experience with children, but I always felt like she was lecturing the parents rather than offering helpful/useful advice. The school makes a big todo about its "curriculum", but...there really isn't one. They cover a couple of cute themes and practice some words and letters, but this is not Montessori. I think it's perfectly adequate for what it does, but let's not get carried away overselling it. APTG organizes several really fun events throughout the year. This includes a picnic in the summer, apple picking in the fall, a stone soup meal, and lots of other special events. These are always a lot of fun and a good way to see your kids in action. The nutritionist APTG hired is fantastic. She overhauled their snack menu to make it much healtheier, which was appreciated. She sometimes offers workshops at the school. If you can attend one of these, I highly recommend it as she offers a lot of useful advice. Play time (and most of the day, really) is very geared toward girls. Lots of beadwork, coloring, dramatic play, etc. Of course, this is all fun stuff for boys too! But there is virtually no rough-and-tumble, sports, kicking balls, etc. If you have a spirited/active boy (or girl), he/she will soon grow bored with the lack of variety. I don't think APTG actually _wants_ spirited/active children, since they are more work and will buck against the rigid structure. The tuition is very expensive, but seems to be par for the course for Belmont and the surrounding area. From what I've gathered, the teachers are not paid very well, which probably explains the high turnover rate. APTG isn't amazing, it isn't terrible either. It's perfectly adequate and sometimes that's exactly good enough. But there are better alternatives out there, especially for older children.

Luckily, this place didn't have availability for our child. The director was not pleasant during…read morethe first inquiry call. She acted like a snob. Listening to her sounded like accommodating parents schedule is something no one ever heard of. Apparently this place is too "good" to work with parents. First impression is the one that stays. And this is what I will be remembering about this "carrying" place. I am glad the decision not to leave our child in this place didn't have to be agonizing one. Thank goodness, certain things just don't mean to happen.

We've been part of this amazing daycare for over 4 years, and I truly cannot recommend it highly…read moreenough. Sonia and Isabella have created such a warm, loving, and enriching environment that has helped my children grow, learn, and feel completely at home. From day one, their attention to each child's individual needs, their dedication to early learning, and the genuine care they show every family has been outstanding. My kids come home every day excited, happy, and full of new things to share. One of the most memorable experiences was the pre-K graduation performance and party. Sonia and Isabella put in so much time, effort, and heart to make the day unforgettable--not just for the kids, but for the parents too. From the songs and performances to the thoughtful decorations and celebrations, every detail was meaningful. It truly felt like a milestone we'll cherish forever. After 4 years, this daycare feels like an extension of our family. We're so grateful for everything Sonia, Isabella, and their team have done, and I wholeheartedly recommend them to any parent looking for a place where their child will be safe, supported, and loved.

My Daughter started her journey at first step when she was only 12 weeks old. She was so little; I…read morewas really looking for a place where she would have been treated like home. What particularly impressed me the first time I visited the childcare was to see how the teachers were taking care of the infants: holding them in their arm, singing songs and overall I felt like they were sharing their love to the babies. I stepped out and I knew that First Step was going to be a second family for my daughter as well. She is now 1yo and I never a second thought on choosing First Step. The Director Sonia, the assistant director Isabella and all the teachers of the infant class have been great with my daughter. They all promptly communicated when she was "not herself" somedays (often predicting a small illness for my child). The team at first step monitored closely my child milestones achievement and communicated promptly when she was a bit behind in her motor skills. With EI and First Step's team support, my daughter made incredible progresses in just a couple of weeks and now she is happily crawling around the room. As a first time mom, I really appreciated them providing some guidance in changing situations (i.e. introducing solids, phasing out formula bottle and also improving naps and sleep). Sonia built an incredible team, and I am recommending her childcare to all my friends that lives in the area. 5 stars are not enough to describe the incredible job that First Step's team does everyday with all the children!

Our family joined the Beginnings community in Fall 2020, during the midst of the pandemic and right…read moreafter we moved locally. I could not imagine a more warm welcome to a new place for our son, who runs into school every morning and talks about how much he loves his teachers and friends every night. From really creative classroom curriculum to outstanding communication between administration, teachers, and parents, we have confidence that our son is in the place that is best for him. We also have confidence that the Beginnings team is doing everything the right way in regards to keeping the whole community safe and healthy. I highly recommend Beginnings School to other families looking for an engaging and fun place dedicated to thoughtfully educating your children.

The teachers and administration at Beginnings deeply care for and love the work that they do. If…read moreyou are looking for professional, high-quality early education, this is the place. The teachers are well-trained to scaffold the most important dimensions of early learning: social-emotional development and self-help skills. Pre-academic tasks are weaved through play and conversation and children are quick to adopt a growth mindset, which is one of the most necessary indicators of future success. I highly recommend Beginnings for any parent or educator looking for a truly special, unique school that will give them or their children the tools needed to thrive.

Both of my kids (soon to be in 3rd grade, soon to be in 7th grade) are thriving at Wellan. It's a…read moreterrific learning community for pre-K through 8th grade; ~300 children, from pre-K to 8th grade, with small classes and skillfully staffed. It feels like a traditional schoolhouse model right in the heart of Newton center. The Montessori method leverages a child's interests, inspiring curiosity, creativity, and a desire to learn.

I recommend NMS to anyone that I can. When going on tours of various preschools for my son a…read morecouple of years ago, I had no real knowledge of what Montessori teaching was. Honestly, I thought it was very "hippy dippy", kids just doing whatever they wanted all day. When I took the tour (Deanna is awesome!), I was amazed... like jaw-on-the-floor amazed. The things she was showing me in the classroom just MADE. SENSE. It was like a light bulb went on, and I knew my son had to go there. We are now in our second year at NMS and couldn't be happier. The building is filled with people who care, immensely. The amount of planning that goes into a classroom is insane. NMS has a great community around it, the events held for student and families outside of school, educational events for parents (like Montessori in the Home), and fun events for parents too. The administration at NMS is amazing, every teacher is amazing, the specialists (library, music, language, etc) are amazing, the Parent Association is amazing, the early/late care staff are amazing, the office staff are amazing. I know that I am doing the best that I possibly can for my son by sending him to Newton Montessori. I've already seen the difference it has made, and I know that it's really the best environment for him to become the best, happiest, smartest, kindest, little boy he can be. And those are all things that will serve him throughout his life. Everything in his classroom is there for a reason, whether it works on fine motor skills, or how to hold a pencil, it all builds on lessons throughout the Montessori classroom years.

Little Llama isn't just a daycare but a second home. The…read morecare, warmth, and intention they pour into every child is exceptional. Our toddler is not only hitting developmental milestones with ease, but is also thriving in a multicultural environment that nurtures curiosity and confidence. Trust, love, and growth is all in one place. Thank you all! We appreciate all your efforts!

We tried several models of daycare in the Belmont / Watertown area for our two children, before…read morefinding Little Llama when our youngest was entering preschool at 2.9 years. We have had an amazing experience at Little Llama and simply did not think that a childcare / preschool provider could be this wonderful. The curriculum is creative and engaging, including music, exercise, and hands-on activities every day. The children also go outside every day, often several times a day, for fresh air, walks, and play in every season. The space is sunlit, bright, and spotlessly clean. What especially stands out to us is how communicative the owner, Evgenia, has been from day one, and how communicative the teachers are throughout our son's day. We get updates, photos, and daily summarizes about his experience and any time we send a message to teachers, they respond immediately. The preschool teachers are so wonderful, treating the children with kindness, respect, and enthusiasm. And as bonuses: a healthy (!) lunch is provided every day, drop off and pick up are easy with ample side street space to pull up to, and there is a very secure safety system installed in the building. Our son is thriving and loves going to school every day. We truly cannot recommend Little Llama enough; we only wish we had found this wonderful childcare and preschool earlier in our parenting journeys.